Liquid dispensing apparatus



Feb. 20, 1951 R. R. TREXLER 2,542,219

' LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Feb. 20, 1951 R. R. TREXLER 2,542,219

LIQUID D IsPENsING APPARATUS Filed oct. 18, 1943 l l 2 sheets-sheet 2 dC/Zia.

IN VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1I) Claims.

This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus, and concerns more particularly the mechanisms for operating the volume and cost registers to effect the register of the volume and cost of the liquid dispensed.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved means and methods for effecting the operation of the cost and volume registers, in apparatus of the type defined.

More specically stated, it is an object of the invention to provide improved electrical means for accurately operating cost and volume registers, or other registers, for registering or recording the desired functions of the liquid or commcdity dispensed.

Still another object is to provide means whereby the register mechanism, such as cost and volume registers, may be operated at a point remotely located with respect to the dispensing apparatus, and in any number and arrangement.

Various other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following specirlcation when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Icertain preferred embodiments are set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a general assembly view of a liquid dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic and illustrative diagram of the apparatus of Fig. 1, more particularly illustrating the features of the invention; and

Figs. 2A and 3 are schematic and illustrative diagrams of modified forms of structure, constructed in accordance with the principles and features of the invention.

In the drawings, the invention has been illustrated as a part of a liquid dispensing apparatus such as employed for the dispensing of gasoline or the like, as certain features of the invention have particular applicability to an apparatus of this type.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, in Fig. 1 there is illustrated a liquid dispensing apparatus having a main casing I adapted to be associated with an underground tank I I containing the body of liquid, such as indicated at I2, to be dispensed. A supply pipe I3 leads from the underground tank to a dispensing pump I4 adapted to be driven by means of drive connections I5 from an electric motor I6. The electric motor is provided with a switch I'I controlled from a rod I8, the upper end of which is connected to a support hook I9 adapted to support the usual dispensing nozzle 2li of the dispensing apparatus.

The pump I4 is adapted to propel the liquid outwardly through a dispensing line 2l, which line has arranged therein an air eliminator 22, a meter 23, a sight gauge 24, and the usual iiexible 'hose 25 connected with the dispensing nozzle 20.

As will be understood, when the nozzle 2i! is removed from the support hook I9, and the hook raised, the motor It will be operated to actuate the pump I4 to thereby dispense liquid outwardly through the dispensing line upon the opening of the nozzle valve 2l. The pump MI includes the usual by-pass valve, as indicated at 28, whereby the pumped iiuid may be by-passed when the pump is actuated and the nozzle valve 2'I is closed.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, means is provided for causing the meter to operate at a predetermined dispensing rate, at all times when the apparatus is in dispensing condition, and means is also provided for operating the volume and cost registers of the apparatus at the same rate, so that the values introduced into the registers correspond to the movements of the meter. However, the meter neither controls nor operates the registers as in the usual form of apparatus, but on the contrary, la common means is employed for controlling both the meter and the registers, whereby to provide synchronism of operation, any variation in operation of the control means being similarly introduced both into the operation of the meter and into the operation of the registers.

To this end, in accordance with the invention, means wholly independent of any drive by or from the meter is provided for driving the cost and volume registers. As illustrated in Figs. l and 2, this means comprises a self-starting synchronous motor 3d having a drive shaft 3i leading to and adapted to drive a volume register 33. Shaft 5i is also provided with a bevel gear 3d arranged to drive a shaft 35 leading to a variatcr 35, the output shaft 3l of which is adapted by means of drive connections 38 to operate a cost register, as indicated at 3S. As will be understood, the variator, which may be of conven- Vswitch is open.

When the main dispensing pump i4 is in operation and the nozzle valve 2 is closed, pressure in the dispensing line 2l is maintained above the setting of the pressure switch 43, Vso that the pressure switch remains open. When the nozzle valve is opened, to dispense liquid, the pressure in the dispensing line 2| drops below the setting of the pressure switch 23, so that the pressure switch 43 is maintained closed continuously during the dispensing operation. Accordingly, it will be seen that when the nozzle valve 2l is open to dispense liquid, the motor 38 will be actuated to operate the volume and cost registers, whereas immediately as the nozzle'valve is closed, the pressure switch 43 is operated to stop the motor 30, and thereby stop the operation of the register mechanisms.

In accordance with the invention, it is contemplated that the nozzle valve 21 will be of such type, including toggle mechanism, a snap cam, or the like, so as to either be fully open or fully closed at all times. When the nozzle valve is fully open, it will tend to permit the pumped liquid to be passed therethrough at an approximately constant predetermined dispensing rate.

The'meter shaft 23 is provided with a drive Y shaft 45 connected by means of drive mechanism 46 to a self-starting, synchronous, rotary electrical controller 41. This unit is structurally a synchronous motor, but because it functions at times as a motor and at times as a generator, may for convenience be referred to as a motorgenerator. It is controlled by the pressure switch 43, the arrangement being suoli that the motor-generator is energized Ywhen the switch is closed and deenergized when the switch is open. The function of the motor-generator 41 is to maintain the speed of operation of the meter 23 at a predetermined value, as will later be more specifically explained, As will be understood, both the motor-generator 4l and the motor 3S may be provided with suitably built-in reduction gearing.

Referring to Fig. 2, which shows a schematic or diagrammatic layout of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the switch i1 for the motor I5 is connected directly to the lines L1 and L2 by means of a pair of wires 5@ and 5i, the arrangement being such that when the switch i1 is closed, the electric motor i5 is energized. Pressure switch 43 is connected to the line L1 by means of a wire 52. A wire leads from the switch 43 to the self-starting synchronous motorgenerator fi'. A line 54 leads from said motorgenerator to the self-starting synchronous motor Sil, and the line 55 leads back from the motor Sil to the line L2. It will be seen that when the pressure switch 43 is closed, the motor-geni erator 41 and the motor 3e will be energized.

power lines to which it is connected. In accordance with the present invention, it will be seen that the synchronous motor-generator 41 and the synchronous motor 3i) are both connected to the same power lines L1 and L2- Accordingly, any frequency variations which occur in the power linesrwill be transmitted simultaneously both to the motor-generator 41 and to the motor 39, thereby producing like Variations in the operation of both units. In other words, any variations in the speed of operation of the synchronous -motor 3E), due to frequency variations in the power lines, will also be transmitted to the motor-generator unit 41, which controls the operation of the meter 23. By this means, correspondence of movement in the meter and the registers is maintained.

The Aunit 41 has been heretofore referred to as a self-starting synchronous motor-generator. More specically, itis contemplated that ,this unit will be a relatively small self-starting synchronous motor, suiiicient only to maintain the meter speed in direct relation to the synchronous speed of operation of the'motor 41. In other words, the meter 23 will be drivenl substantially at the desired dispensing rate, for example, 10 gallons per minute, by the liquid propelled through the .dispensing line from the pump I4. However, should variations in the now rate tend to occur, for example, because ofjvariations in the liquid level of the underground tank, or other causes, the unit 41 will tend to be driven as a generator, if the speed of operation of the meter tends to increase, or as a motor, if the speed of operation of the meter 23 tends to lag, whereby to constantly maintain the meter speed proportional to the synchronous operatingV speed of the synchronous unit 41. The unit 41 need be only a small synchronous unit, as it operates merely as a compensator or control for the speed of operation of the meter 23, the principal actuating power for the meter coming from the liquid propulsion in the dispensing line.

Similarly, the synchronous motor 36 Yneed be only a relatively small motor of sumcient power only to drive the relatively light register mechanisms. By having the units of self-starting type, their operation will be initiated immediately upon the opening of the nozzle valve and the actuation of the pressure switch 43, whereby to minimize lag in the operation of the structures.

It will be seen that any variations in power line frequency or voltage will be transmitted uniformly to both the unit 3B and the unit 41, whereby to maintain synchronism of operation between the meter 23 and the registers 33 and 39. While, in Fig. l, the Yregisters'have. been shown as embodied in the same housing as the remaining elements of the` dispensing'apparatus, it will be seen that in accordance Vwith the' principles of the invention, the registers and their associated driving motor 3U may be remotely positioned with respect to the dispensing line, or several motors 3E and associated registers may be provided, controlled from a single dispensing apparatus or pressure switch 43. VIt will thus be seen that in accordance Vwith vthe invention, one or more remotely positioned register units may be controlled Vfrom the same dispensing line, or conversely, sev- 30- and the switcher switches 43, so that any-one or more motors may be selectively coupled to Vany one or more dispensing apparatus. In Fig. 2A, for example, a pressure switch is indicated as being operable to control two register motors 3D and 30a connected in series relationship. Also, a second pressure switch 43a is illustrated, which may be used as the control medium selectively in place of the switch d3, under the control of a selector switch Bil.

In Fig. 3 an embodiment of the invention is illustrated which is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the rotary electrical controller or motor-generator for controlling the speed of operation of the meter is structurally a self-starting induction type motor, as indicated at 47a, rather than a self-starting synchronous unit. Also, the manner of operation of the register mechanism is diiierent. In this instance, instead of utilizing a single self-starting synchronous motor for driving the volume and cost registers, as in Figs. 1 and 2, two independent self-starting induction motors slib and 3Go are employed, having the same electrical characteristics of operation as the induction motor vila. The motor Siib is independently connected to the volume register 33 by drive connections 62, whereas the motor 30e is independently connected to the cost register 39 by drive connections 63. The motors 3G19 and 30e are in series relationship, so that both are simultaneously energized from the pressure controlled switch d3. Instead of using a mechanical type variator, as in the case of variator 36 in Figs. 1 and 2, an electrical control rheostat B4 is employed, calibrated in terms of unit cost, and connected to the unit price indicator llt, and arranged to electrically control the speed of operation of the motor 3Go. It will be seen that in this embodiment the motor Sllb operates the volume register, whereas the motor 3Go operates the cost register, and may be varied as to speed of operation in accordance with unit cost. An induction type motor such as indicated at 30o may be controlled as to speed by suitable means, such, for example, as the rheostat 6d.

By making the electrical units Lila, Silband 30e all of the same type, in the present instance, self-starting induction type units, any variations in electrical frequency, voltage, etc. in the power lines L1 and L2 will be equally reiiected in the operating characteristics of all of the electrical units, whereby to maintain the registers and meter in synchronism of operation.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the speciiic embodiments set forth without departing from the spirit of the invention. The invention is accordingly not to be limited to the precise embodiments shown and described, but only as indicated in the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing line adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a pump arranged to Ipropel liquid through the dispensing line, a relief valve in the dispensing 1ine in by-pass relation to the pump, means for driving the pump, a meter in the dispensing line movable in proportion to the liquid flow through the line, a rotary electrical controller for controlling the speed of operation of the meter, register mechanism for registering a function of the dispensed liquid, and a rotary electrical controller for operating said registering mechanism, both of said controllers being connected to a common power line for actuation.

2. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing line adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a pump arranged to propel liquid through the dispensing line, means for driving the pump, a meter in the dispensing line movable in proportion to the liquid flow through the line, a rotary electrical controller for controlling the speed of operation of the meter, register mechanism for registering a function of the dispensed liquid, and a rotary electrical controller for operating said registering mechanism, both of said controllers having similar electrical characteristics of operation and being connected to a common power line for actuation.

3. A liquid dispensing apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said controllers are self-starting synchronous type units.

4. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing line adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a pump arranged to propel liquid through the dispensing line, means for driving the pump, a meter in the dispensing line movable in proportion to the liquid flow through the line, a rotary electric controller for controlling the speed ci operation of the meter, register mechanism for registering a function of the dispensed liquid, a rotary electrical controller for operating said registering mechanism, both of said controllers being connected to a common power line for actuation, and a pressure switch controlled by the pressure in the dispensing line for controlling the operation of at least one of said controllers.

5. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing line adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a pump arranged to propel liquid through the dispensing line, means for driving the pump, a meter in the dispensing line movable in proportion to the liquid flow through the line, a rotary electrical controller for controlling the speed of operation of the meter, resister mechanism for registering a function of the dispensed liquid, a rotary electrical controller for operating said registering mechanism, both oli said controllers being connected to a common power line for actuation, and a pressure switch controlled by the pressure in the dispensing line for simultaneously controlling the operation of both said controllers.

6. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing line adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a pump arranged to propel liquid through the dispensing line, means for driving the pump, a meter in the dispensing line movable in proportion to the liquid flow through the line, a rotary electrical controller for controlling the speed of operation of the meter, register mechanism including a volume register and a cost register, and a rotary electrical controller for` operating said register mechanism, both of said controllers being connected to a common power line for actuation.

7. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing line adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a pump arranged to propel liquid through the dispensing line, means for driving the pump, a meter in the dispensing line movable in proportion to the liquid iiow through the line, a rotary electrical controller for controlling the speed of operation of the meter, register mechanism including a pair of registers for registering functions of the dispensed liquid, and rotary electrical controllers for operating each of said registers, all of said controllers being connected to a common power line for actuation.

8. A liquid dispensing apparatus as defined in claim 7, Wherein means is provided Vfor electrically varying the speed of operation of at least onefof said registerV operating controllers.

9. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a Vdispensing line adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a pump arrangedto propel liquid through the dispensing line, means for driving the pump, a meter in thev dispensingline movable in proportion to the liquid flow through the line, a rotary electrical-controller for control:- ling the speed of operation of the meter, register mechanism for registering a, function ofthe dispensed liquid, a rotary electrical controller for operating said registering mechanism, both of said controllers being connected to a common power line for actuation, and means for electrically varying the speed of operation of the register operating controller. n

10. A liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a dispensing 1ine adapted to be connected to a source of liquid supply, a liquid displacement mechanism disposed in the dispensing line, said mechanism having a rotary shaft operable in proportion to the volume of liquid displaced through said mechanism, a rotary electrical controller for controlling the speed of operation of said shaft, register mechanism for registering a 8j Y function ofthe dispensed liquid, a rotary electriscalcontroller for operating said registering mechanism, both of said controllers being connected to a common power line for actuation, a

nozzle valve. interconnected With theterminal end of the dispensing line for controlling liquid ow Vthrough the line, and common control means for both of said electrical controllers for effectingY the energization and deenergization thereof, said control meansvbeing-controlled bythe operation of said'nozzle Valve.

VRICHARD R; TREXLER.

REFERElTCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,9'74=,857` Winton Sept. 25, 1934 2,018,538 vWebb Oct. 22, 1935 2,117,750 Svenson May 17, 1938 2,151,239 Slye et al Mar. 21, 1939 2,296,540 Schurz Sept. 22, 1942 2,319,444 Crosby May Y18, 1943 

